1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of straps and belts, and to the particular field of straps used to carry bulky objects.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many workers, especially movers, must carry heavy items on their person. These items can be extremely heavy, especially in the case of movers who may be carrying furniture. Back injuries are quite common in such workers, especially after many years of heavy work. In fact, back injuries may be one of the leading causes of such workers changing jobs or retiring.
Many back injuries are caused by improper lifting or carrying techniques. Most workers are aware that they must lift heavy loads with their legs and not their back. However, once the load is lifted to the worker's body, many of the workers do not properly carry the load. This may cause injury as well.
Therefore, there is a need for a means for assisting a worker in properly carrying a load on his body.
One reason for improperly aligning a load on a worker is the device that is used for a worker to handle the load. Such devices include braces and belts and the like. However, these devices are generally not adjustable and, as such, may not be properly adjusted for the particular worker and the particular load and the particular task being carried out. In such a situation, the load may be improperly aligned on the worker.
Therefore, there is a need for a means for assisting a worker in properly carrying a load on his body and which can be adjusted to meet the needs of the particular situation.
Straps known to the inventor generally must be looped or tied about a worker's wrist in order to be handled by the worker. This may be uncomfortable and may interfere with the worker's blood circulation in his hands. Furthermore, this is not as secure as it could be.
Therefore, there is a need for a strap that can be used by a worker to handle a load and which overcomes the problems associated with the prior art.